News
Palacio de la Duquesa de Sueca becomes a new social space
Lavapiés is about to recover one of those buildings that have been part of the landscape for years without being usable. The Palacio de la Duquesa de Sueca, an 18th-century building located right in the centre, is progressing with its refurbishment to become a centre for older people and temporary accommodation for vulnerable families.
The project comes after years of closure, construction work and scaffolding. The municipal intervention will continue until the end of 2027 and has an investment of €12.5 million. The aim is to rescue a seriously deteriorated historic building and return it to the neighbourhood with a clear social function.
The palace has 6,150 square metres. More than 1,500 will be allocated to a centre for older people in the east wing, while the rest will be divided between temporary housing, support services and shared spaces for families going through difficult situations.
The ground floor will serve as an access and reception area, with a dining room, rest areas and multipurpose rooms. The upper floors will have workshops, public housing, physiotherapy rooms, a hairdresser’s, reading areas and other services intended for the daily lives of users and temporary residents.
The restoration has not been straightforward. The building has heritage protection and archaeological remains found during the works require its history to be integrated into the new use. Remains of Islamic burials from the 12th or 13th centuries will be preserved on the ground floor, visible beneath a glass floor.
A sundial discovered on a party wall will also be recovered, and original mural paintings from the 18th and 19th centuries will be restored. The idea is that the building should not lose its memory, even as it ceases to be a closed space and returns to everyday activity.
The intervention will incorporate full accessibility, with ramps, lifts and the restoration of old staircases. The challenge will be to combine heritage protection with practical, comfortable and safe use for older people, families and workers at the future facility.
Palacio de la Duquesa de Sueca has had many lives. It began as a school for the children of Carlos III’s servants; it was the residence of Manuel Godoy and the Duchess of Sueca, a school, barracks, homes and even a recognisable setting for followers of El Ministerio del Tiempo.
Its new phase can change more than one building. In a neighbourhood where every public facility matters, recovering this palace means adding services, opening meeting spaces and showing that heritage does not have to remain frozen: it can also serve to care for people, offer support and create neighbourhood life.